Former Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola and former Kano Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso held a marathon in Lagos to develop strategies ahead of the 2027 election, This intensifies speculation about possible alliances of all the progressive Congress (APC) that dominates.
The political source who confirmed the meeting said, “Aregbesola and Kwankwaso just finished a marathon in Lagos and they have developed their strategies in the 2027 election.”
The meeting came a few days after the Omoluabi progressives, a political group of Aregbesola, left the APC, citing internal marginalization and unfair treatment.
Naija News Earlier this week, Omoluabi Progressives spokesman Abosede Oluwaseun said there was no due process due to exclusion, unfair suspension and expulsion of key leaders, the group was due to exclusion, unfair suspension and expulsion.
After this development, the Osun State APC branch officially fired Aregbesola for suspected anti-party activities.
Aregbesola ruled Osun State on the APC platform between 2010 and 2018, and he is also two-term minister of former President Muhammadu Buhari, from 2015 to 2023.
However, his influence with successor, Governor Gboyega Oyetola and other Osun APC leaders led to his gradual alienation from the party’s mainstream structure.
The meeting of Aregbesola and Kwankwaso adds opposition cooperation efforts ahead of the 2027 election.
In recent months, several high-profile politicians from different political parties have held strategic meetings to explore the alliance:
– In November 2024, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar hosted a private political discussion by Labor Chief Peter Obi in Adamawa State.
– In January 2025, former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rafai, former Abucha Aid Hanza al-Mustapha and others in Abu Abuja held an initiative by the National Social Democratic President Shehu Gabam (SDP).
Meanwhile, New Nigerian BJP state president Ajuji Ahmed said on Friday that although the party has not participated in any coalition talks at present, the possibility of a future coalition is not ruled out.
Kwankwaso, who participated in the NNPP’s 2023 presidential election, participated in several high-level discussions about opposition unification, especially with Atiku Abubakar and other opposition heavyweights.